and the president will work out a deal after the election to avoid these cuts which defense secretary panetta said would be devastating but a law called the warren act, if you expect a mass layoff of employees you need to give them 60 days notice and one contractor co-says the uncertainty is rough. ? the frustration, we say what should we tell our people and it is akin to being in a car and, all of a sudden you find you are playing chicken and have your company in there and they are saying to you, if we go over the cliff we'll help you out, providing you don't tell the folks that they are in the car with us. >> reporter: the obama administration tells contractors they don't need to send out layoff notices days before the election, and if they get sued for ignoring the law the government will pay their expenses and lockheed martin says it will honor the request and hold off telling its worker but in a letter republican senators graham and john mccain warn 15 major defense contractors, writing, quote, it is our fear, should you rely on the guidance and fail to comply with the warren act require